I’m a born and raised Cape Codder. I’ve had sand in my shoes since I learned how to walk. I spent my childhood summers searching the ocean for mermaids, and my winters counting down the days until it was summer again. Flip flops and sunglasses are wardrobe staples.

It’s a unique place, but when it’s all you know you don’t realize how different it is. The quirkiness of the towns and the locals really is something special, but I didn’t know that until I moved away. When I finally did move, I found myself explaining a lot of things about the place where I grew up that I never thought twice about before.

These are the answers to the questions I have most frequently been asked about Cape Cod.

You know that arm sticking out into the Atlantic off of Massachusetts? THAT’S Cape Cod.

Cape Cod itself is not a town. It’s actually made up of 15 towns, each with their own distinct character.